Damage Identified Near the Esfahan Nuclear Complex

 Damage Identified Near the Esfahan Nuclear Complex and Assessment of the Strike on Malek Ashtar University

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Imagery Update: Damage Identified Near the Esfahan Nuclear Complex and Assessment of the Strike on Malek Ashtar University  By David Albright, Sarah Burkhard, Spencer Faragasso, and the Good ISIS Team March 23, 2026 Attack Near Esfahan Nuclear Complex  Satellite imagery shows damage at a site near the Esfahan nuclear complex that occurred between February 28 and March 6 (32°34'3.07"N, 51°48'59.77"E). The site is likely involved in the defense of the Esfahan nuclear complex and the main building attacked could have been the command and control center for physical protection of the above ground nuclear complex roughly 1.2km away (2.1km away from the underground complex). This site includes a small tunnel complex built around 2007. The recent strikes hit both tunnel entrances, one of which could have served mainly as utilities support in recent years and featured what may have been a cooling unit protected by a concrete defensive barrier. Both features appear to have been destroyed in the strike. A probable command and control bunkered facility was also struck in a second attack between the 6th and 18th of March 2026, a connected underground portion appears to have collapsed. Wikimapia identified the site as Army Defense Unit Esfahan. The residential area next to it is labeled as Thamari Town (AEOI Housing) and it appears not to have been attacked. The images show the site before and after the attack, as well as the tunnel and bunker under construction in 2007 and the site’s location relative to the main Esfahan nuclear complex. Attack on Malek Ashtar University Nuclear weapons Component Development High resolution satellite imagery taken by Airbus confirms the strike reported by the IDF on a large building at Malek Ashtar University. See before and after images of the most recent strike.  In its announcement of the recent strike, the IDF described the attacked site as, "a strategic research and development site used by the Iranian terror regime to develop components for nuclear weapons production." Further, it stated (translated from Hebrew), "The 'Malek Ashtar' University site served the Iranian terror regime's military industries and ballistic missile array for developing components for nuclear weapons and combat means. 'Malek Ashtar' University is subordinate to the Iranian Ministry of Defense and has been under international sanctions for decades of activity to advance the nuclear program and develop ballistic missiles." The broader area includes the Mojdeh/Lavizan 2 site housing multiple SPND entities and was previously targeted in this current conflict as well as in June 2025. The facility is also across the street from a building connected to the Mojdeh site that was destroyed in an airstrike on March 3rd and may be connected to nuclear weapons-related work. See all of the imagery below. Read the full tweets here and here. You can also follow our experts on X: David Albright (@DAVIDHALBRIGHT1); Sarah Burkhard (@SarahBurkhard); and Spencer Faragasso (@SFnuclear) Figure 1. A view of the defensive site after the airstrikes occurred.  Figure 2.  A view of the defensive site and tunnel complex before it was attacked.  Figure 3.  An overview of where the defensive site is compared to the Esfahan nuclear complex.  Figure 4. A view of Malek Ashtar after the airstrike on the research and development facilities.  Figure 5. A view of Malek Ahstar University before the attack.